# Billy Laughlin
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{{Short description|American child actor (1932–1948)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Billy Laughlin
| image = Froggy Laughlin.png
| image_size =
| caption = Laughlin in ''[Waldo's Last Stand](/source/Waldo's_Last_Stand)'' (1940)
| birth_date = {{birth date|1932|07|05}}
| birth_place = [San Gabriel, California](/source/San_Gabriel%2C_California), U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1948|08|31|1932|07|05}}
| death_place = [La Puente, California](/source/La_Puente%2C_California), U.S.
| death_cause = [Traffic collision](/source/Traffic_collision)
| resting_place = [Rose Hills Memorial Park](/source/Rose_Hills_Memorial_Park),
[Whittier, California](/source/Whittier%2C_California)
| occupation = [Child actor](/source/Child_actor)
| years_active = 1940–1948
| birth_name = William Robert Laughlin
| other_names =
| website =
}}
'''William Robert Laughlin''' (July 5, 1932 – August 31, 1948) was an American [child actor](/source/child_actor). He is best known for playing the character '''Froggy''' in the ''[Our Gang](/source/Our_Gang)'' short films from 1940 to 1944, the films′ final years of production.
==Early life==
Laughlin was born on July 5, 1932, in [San Gabriel](/source/San_Gabriel%2C_California), [California](/source/California), to Robert Vine Laughlin (August 28, 1901 – September 30, 1972) and Charlotte C. Cruikshank (March 11, 1903 – June 4, 1992). According to ''Our Gang'' actor [Robert Blake](/source/Robert_Blake_(actor)), Laughlin was "dearly loved".[{{cite book|last=Blake|first=Robert|title=Tale of a Rascal: What I Did for Love|date=2012|publisher=Black Rainbow Publications|isbn=978-0615591940|page=178}}]
==Career==
Laughlin rose to fame at the age of eight when he appeared in his first ''Our Gang'' film, ''[The New Pupil](/source/The_New_Pupil)'', as "Harold" in 1940. He worked in support of [Alfalfa Switzer](/source/Alfalfa_Switzer) in his first three films and then replaced the now-too-old Switzer as the comic lead of the group with the 1941 films. His character was known for his strange, guttural voice, which was reminiscent of a frog's croak. Laughlin's last ''Our Gang'' short film was the last film of the series in 1944 called ''[Dancing Romeo](/source/Dancing_Romeo)''. Laughlin did the voice himself without dubbing, basing it on a [Popeye](/source/Popeye) impersonation he had been doing for friends.
When ''Our Gang'' stopped production in 1944, Laughlin appeared in a cameo in Monogram's ''[Johnny Doesn't Live Here Any More](/source/Johnny_Doesn't_Live_Here_Any_More)'', his only non-''Our Gang'' film, speaking in his natural voice for the only time on film.
==Death==
Laughlin died at a hospital on August 31, 1948, after colliding with a speeding truck while riding with a friend on a [Cushman](/source/Cushman_(company)) motor scooter. He was delivering newspapers near his home in [La Puente](/source/La_Puente%2C_California), [California](/source/California). The 16-year-old friend who was operating the scooter, John Wilbrand, made a U-turn in front of the truck, but survived with minor injuries.[{{Cite web|url=http://littlerascals.proboards.com/thread/1259|title=The Death of Froggy {{!}} The Little Rascals|website=littlerascals.proboards.com|access-date=2016-03-24}}][(09-02-1948)."Youth Dies From Injuries". ''La Puente Valley Journal''.][(10-05-1948). Certificate of Death No. 12160, William Laughlin, District 1951, County of Los Angeles, State of California.][(09-02-1948)."Crash Kills Youth of 16". ''Los Angeles Times''.] The scooter was given to Laughlin by his parents two weeks prior to the accident.